Hitman sentenced to 11 years

A hitman who tried to murder a senior Law Society official in a “pre-meditated and sustained” knife attack has been jailed for 11 years.

Leslie Cumming, 68, the then deputy chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, was set upon in a lane near his home in Murrayfield almost six years ago. He was left permanently scarred on his face and back after being stabbed repeatedly by the masked attacker on January 23, 2006.

Robert Graham, 46, denied attempting to murder the accountant but was convicted of the crime after a nine-day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh last month.

Graham, who was paid to carry out the attack, was extradited from Australia for the trial.

Judge John Morris QC, passing sentence in Edinburgh, told Graham: “You have been convicted of a pre-meditated and sustained murderous attack.

“A substantial custodial sentence is appropriate.”

The judge recommended he be deported from Britain at the end of his sentence.